1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to measuring salt content of fluids in petroleum operations.
2. Description of Prior Art
U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 872,981 filed Jan. 27, 1978 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,209,695 (Texaco D#74,465C1); and 920,568, filed June 28, 1978 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,789 (Texaco Docket No. D#76,534), of common ownership with the present invention, deals with a thermal neutron capture technique of measuring the presence and concentration of salt water in fluid in a refinery pipeline or other petroleum producing or refining operation. For accurate results where there was free gas in the fluid stream, it was required that the free gas be distributed homogenously within the liquid phase. This was often the case at some points in petroleum production operations such as at the output of a gas-oil separator or at a loading dock manifold. However, it would also be desirable to monitor salt content in well flow lines where free gas is not homogenously distributed.
U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 106,585, filed Dec. 26, 1979; and 106,584, filed Dec. 26, 1979, also of common ownership with the present invention, utilized a gamma ray energy emitter and a microwave energy transmitter to obtain a measure of the water cut of an oil-water-free gas mixture. From the water cut and a knowledge of water salinity, the amount of salt in pounds per thousand barrels (PTB) can be obtained.